Do electric cars pay road tax?
Yes. Electric cars have paid vehicle tax since 1 April 2025. A car registered from 1 April 2017 pays the standard £200 a year; one registered from March 2001 to March 2017 pays £20. An extra £440 a year for five years applies if an electric car registered from 1 April 2025 had a list price above £50,000.
Last reviewed . The official sources it draws on, and the date each was read, are listed at the foot of the page.
What changed on 1 April 2025
Before that date electric cars were exempt. GOV.UK now says that from 1 April 2025 anyone with an electric car, van, motorcycle or tricycle has to pay vehicle tax, and that heavy goods vehicles weighing over 3,500kg are still exempt. Hybrid electric vehicles must pay too.
What a used electric car pays
| First registered | What it pays |
|---|---|
| 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 | £20 a year (band A, up to 100 g/km of CO2) |
| From 1 April 2017 | £200 a year from the second payment |
| New, at first registration | £10 for a 0 g/km car, paid once by the first keeper |
A used buyer pays the ongoing rate, not the first-registration rate.
The Expensive Car Supplement on electric cars
The supplement adds £440 a year for five years from the second time the car is taxed. For an electric car it applies when the list price when new was above £50,000. GOV.UK says this also applies to electric vehicles registered between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, and exempts zero-emission vehicles registered before 1 April 2025.
An electric car registered before 1 April 2025 does not pay it, whatever it cost new. The list price is the published price before first registration and before any discount, not what a used car is advertised for.
A mileage charge is announced for 2028
The government has announced a mileage-based charge, eVED, from 1 April 2028: 3p a mile for a battery-electric car, paid alongside vehicle tax. The policy paper says primary legislation is still to be introduced.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Vehicles exempt from vehicle taxRead on 1 October 2026. Electric vehicles must pay from 1 April 2025, with heavy goods vehicles over 3,500kg still exempt; hybrids must pay.
- GOV.UK: Vehicle tax ratesRead on 1 October 2026. The standard rate, band A, the first-year rate for 0 g/km and the supplement rules for electric cars.
- GOV.UK: Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED)Read on 1 October 2026. The 1 April 2028 start, the rate for battery-electric cars and that legislation is still to be introduced.
Related
More answers
- Do hybrid cars pay road tax?
- Does the expensive car supplement apply to a used car?
- What is a SORN, and when do I need one?
- What is a V5C log book, and what does it show?
- How do I register a used car in my name?
- Do electric cars pay the London Congestion Charge?
- Is there a grant for a used electric car?
- Do electric cars need an MOT?
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